Delhi: DDA to redevelop Nehru Place market

DDA plans to revamp Nehru Place District Centre, enhancing civic infrastructure and public space, with a budget of ₹15 lakh for artistic upgrades.

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is set to comprehensively redevelop the Nehru Place District Centre, one of the city’s oldest and busiest commercial hubs, officials said on Monday. According to officials, the project aims to reimagine the area’s civic infrastructure, public space and pedestrian environment by giving it an artistic upgrade.

DDA has asked interested artists to submit a plan for incorporating handicraft and hand painting on walls for a general uplifting of the space. (HT Archive)

DDA has asked interested artists to submit a plan for incorporating handicraft and hand painting on walls for a general uplifting of the space. The authority has allocated ₹15 lakh for the work that is expected to be completed in 45 days.

“The revamp and painting work will help in general upkeep and maintenance and will hopefully help maintain sanitation in the area. The commercial space gets thousands of customers every day who are exploring the area while walking. It will help to make the space more lively,” said an official.

Developed in the 1980s, Nehru Place has long served as a major IT hardware and electronics market in the Capital, but over time has struggled with poor maintenance, encroachments, and inadequate public amenities. DDA had redeveloped the space four years ago with new public toilets, multilevel car parking management systems, signages, street furniture, and open-air seating zones. Vendors and hawker zones were reorganised and more pedestrian-friendly space was created.

However, traders in the area complain that while the basic facade improvement was done, the area still faces challenges regarding routine sanitation.

“The revamp in 2022 seems like a half-hearted effort as we still face problems related to persistent waterlogging and the sewage systems choking up as it did before the revamp. The sanitation staff is also overburdened and does mopping of the main plaza once in two days, while it needs to be done at least twice daily considering the footfall,” said Inder Kohli, chief coordinator of Nehru Place Market Association.

“We recently installed cameras in our building and made regular announcements that have helped a lot in reducing spitting. Basic civic sense is lacking and a drive by NGOs in sensitising the public may be a good idea to reduce garbage dumping in every corner. We realise that the government cannot conduct such drives, but other agencies can be involved,” said Kohli.

Some of the other concerns among traders include encroachment of public passage and common areas, proliferation of unauthorised hawkers, illegal use of domestic or unmarked gas cylinders in commercial areas, rampant tobacco spitting and restoration of missing DDA dustbins.